Oil still



Dec. 27, .1. PRIMROSE OIL STILL Filed Dec. 28. 1920 SSheets-Sheet 1 .Ffcgr INVENTOR Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,347

J. PRIMROSE OIL STILL Filed m. 28. 1920 3 Sheei;s-Sheet 2 I 13 10 mi JEEjJIHMUL Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,347

J. PRIMROSE OIL sum I Filed Dec. 28. 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 3 12 I I lm uull IIIIIIII l|lll!.

Patented ec. 27, 1927.

STATES I 1,654,347 PATENT OFF-ICE.

JOHN PRIMROSE, OF DONGAN HILLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO POWER SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

orn STILL.

I Application filed December 28, 1920. Serial No. 433,588.

In the specification which follows, it is my aim to set forth and my desire to define the novel features of an oil still which I have devised and which I have been led to design to overcome certain difliculties heretofore met with in devices of this character. The invention resides in What is known as a'cracking still, and the improvements which I have made and illustrated herein are designed to accomplish the following, amongst other, useful objects.

First, a better and more even distrlbution of the hot gases over the entire area of the furnace or heating chamber containing the oil pipes and an improved means of regulating the temperature and securing a more complete combustion of the fuel.

Second, a more effective flow of the oil to be treated through the system of pipes, whereby the same temperature in the oil in all the pipes may be secured.

Third, a more ready means for inspecting the tubes or pipes for the purpose of detecting weak spots.

Fourth, a more convenient and ready means of withdrawing an injured or impaired tube section for replacement by a new section, and

Fifth, certain minor details of construction which contribute to the efficiency and general practical value of the still.

In the annexed drawings in which the means for accomplishing the above stated objects are shown:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the entire device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same on line 33 of Fig. 1, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the pipe sections, showing the same in different positions.

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged detail view of the tubes with casings of varying outer surfaces.

Referring to Fig. 1: The structure shown is, in the main, of the usual construction and built up of proper materials with a furnace or combustion chamber 1 in front, a bridge wall 2, and a bank of oil pipes arranged back of the'same. The hot gases from the fire pass up over the wall 2, down through the bank of tubes or pipes and off to the flue through 65 an opening 3 controlled by a damper 4.

Usually in devices of this kind a regulable volume of cold or relatively cool air is intro duced into the combustion chamber above the flame or fire, and is assumed to mix with the hot gases and pass over the 'oil pipes. It has been found, however, that the distribution of the cooler air is seldom, if ever, uniform, and that the gases contain strata or zones of higher and lower ten'iperature, resulting in an uneven heating of the oil in the pipes with which the gas comes in contact. To avoid this I introduce a large volume or excess of cool air up through the bottom of the furnace, preferably through a checkered partition or grate 5, beneath which is a chamber 6 with the proper number of controllable dampers 7, 8, in front, on the side or both.

The source of heat may be an oil flame or a coal fire on a stationary plate or stoker. Of course if the latter be used the air passages through the grate or stoker should be greatly increased in area which would be the equivalent of supplying a very large grate area and will result in a low burning rate per square foot of grate. In either event the air promotes and secures a more perfect combustion, is mixed thoroughly and uniformly with the hotgases, and the temperature of the mixture as it passes over the wall 2 and impinges upon the oil pipes may be closely regulated at all times by the adjustment of the dampers and the amount of fuel supplied.

The oil pipes 9 are arranged in sections or' groups none of which contains more than two horizontal rows of pipes, and all of which groups are separated by a given space. The

chamber containing the pipes is provided if any pipe is seen to have developed a hot spot, the apparatus is at once shut down and the impaired pipe section removed and replaced by a new section. As a space is left between each row or two rows, all of the surfaces maybe thus inspected and weak spots 1 5 immediately detected.

The pipe sections areeonnected in multiple series, as indicated in the drawing, Fig. 2. That is to say, all the pipes in'each vertical staggered row are in series, while all of the series connect with the upper and lower manifolds 12, 13. The oil is introduced at the bottom and passes upward thus securing a perfect flow counter to that of the hot gases which pass downward.

The oil pipes, as shown in Figs. 4: and 5 are encased in corrugated cast iron envelopes and the thickness of these envelopes varies with the temperature of the gases to which the pipes are exposed. It is difficult to clearly illustrate this, butan examination of Fig. 1' and Fig. 6, particularly of the pipes in the third group from the'top in Fig. 1, will show that the casings 25 on the pipes on each side of the upper row are shown larger than those between which are marked 26 in Fig. 6. This plan may be followed in the whole or in any part of the row or rows near the top, but is particularly desirable in the rows nearest the top, the central tubes in which are of smaller outside diameter because the flow of gases is naturally down the center to a eater extent than down the sides of the bani. v The greater the diameter of the envelopes, the greater the extent of the heat absorbing surface exposed to the gases, so that a pipe with a thick envelope will absorb as much heat in a region of lower temperature, as a pipe with a thin envelope in a region of higher temperature.

The purpose in so modifying the thickness of the ironenvelopes is to secure an even temperature in the oil as it issues from the pipes. Ubservation or experiment will readily determine this and indicate the proper thickness for the pipes in difl'erent parts of the bank. To assist in such determination each vertical series of pipes is provided with a thermometer 14, Fig. 2, at a point just before it delivers into the outlet manifold, and further provision for regulation of temperature may be had by the use of valves 15 in the pipes beyond the inlet manifold, as indicated in Fig. 3, by the adjustment of which the flow of oil through certain series of pipes in which the oil is too little heated may be throttled and reduced, thereby increasing the rate of flow through the others in which the temperature is higher. This is an important consideration. a

As stated above, when an impaired or defective pipe section is detected the. device should be shut down and that section re moved. The means which I have provided for this operation is shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 and reference will now be had to said figures.

The ends of each pipe section are provided with rectangular cast iron flanges 16 against which the corrugated envelopes abut. The

lower pipe sections of each group rest upon l-beams 17, in the setting, so that the upper sections are firmly supported by the flanges 16. The side wall of the heating or pipe chamber on one side is built up around these beams by solid blocks or bricks of refractorymaterial 18, which contain recesses to.

receive the lower flanges of the I-beams, and by a packing or filling 19 of suitable material applied by tools after the pipes are in place. between the lower flanges of the under row of pipes in each group and the upper flanges 1 spot, the apparatus is shut down and the filling 19 on both sides of the group or pair of pipe sections in which the defect occurs and on the right, as shown in Fig. 5, is

The blocks or bricks 18 fill the spaces knocked out and the refractory block 18 pushed in or away from the I-beam, as shown in said figure. The filling or packing 19 on the other side is also knocked out on each side of the group, and the lower brick 21 withdrawn. This permitsuthe grou or pair of pipe sections to be raised as t e other pipes are supported in place by the I-beams,

so that when the-ends of these sections are cut off from the headers at the right, Fig. 5, the group of two sections may be with drawn and replaced by new or perfect sections.

After such new sections are inserted the walls of the chamber may be restored to their original condition with little labor and exense, after the ends of such sections have een expanded into the headers.

The. device in other respects than those herein particularly set forth is or may be of the usual construction employed in the art, and requires no more detailed description. The distillation of oil has reached a stage at the present time where the highest plant efficiency of the still, the most precise observance of ro er 0 eratin conditions and perfect control of all factors is demanded. This implies that changes in construction which are seemingly slight may be of the utmost commercial value and importance. The Several features which are hereinbefore llll described are in certain respects refinements in this class, and their importance can best be estimated by a comparison of results. The apparatus which I have described has been demonstrated to possess these advantages to a very marked degree.

What I claim is: 1. In an oil still of the kind described, the

taken place, said bottom serving to uniformly distribute said air in said products of combustion, a bridge wall, and a bank of oil pipes placedv back of the bridge wall over which pipes the hot gases of combustion and the introduced and uniformly mixed air flow downward and counter to the current of oil passing through the pipes, said bridge wall and supplementary air cooperating to prevent overheating of the oil passing through temperature of the gases impinging thereon,

said tubes adjacent the walls of the heating chamber at points of low gas velocity also having said casings with a greater surface thereon than on the casings on certain of the tubes nearer the center of said chamber atpoints of relativel higher gas velocity.

3. In an oil stil comprising a fire chamber and a heating chamber which receive hot gases from the fire chamber, of a bank of horizontal tubes in the'heating chamber, each tube having a cast iron envelope, the outer w surfaces of the various tubes varying 'in an inverse proportion to the temperature of the gases impinging thereon, certain envelopes upon certain of the tubes of the row initially receiving the hottest gases having reduced heat absorbing surfaces at points of relatively high gas velocity across a row and with increased surfaces upon the tubes of such row at points of relatively lower gas velocity.

In testimony whereof I hereto atfix my signature.-

JOHN PRIMROSE. 

